Cutting Edge Fitness

What do St. Charles, Rushford and Chatfield have in common? Well, one thing they have in common is that they all are home to a fitness gym called Cutting Edge Fitness established by Jarred Burt.

Growing up in St. Charles, Jarred Burt liked sports, especially football. He played football at St. Charles and RCTC as well as some semi-pro. After coaching football at St. Charles as a volunteer, he did an internship at RCTC as an athletic trainer. Wanting to help others achieve their fitness goals and feel better about themselves, Burt got certified as a personal trainer in 2011.

In 2012, Burt established Cutting Edge, his coaching business. In 2016, he decided to open his own gym in St. Charles at 942 Whitewater Avenue for himself and others. Six years later in 2022, he opened a gym in Rushford at 104 West Jessie Street when the opportunity arose; in 2024, he opened a third gym in Chatfield at 214 Main Street.

The gyms all have a plethora of equipment including power racks, platform, cable machines, leg press, power squat, a five stack jungle gym, dumb bells up to 100 pounds, various barbells, treadmills, cycles, stair climbers and ellipticals. Jarred commented, “Everything has its own purpose.”

To a newcomer, the gym might seem overwhelming, but Jarred and his certified trainers Jane Holien in Rushford and Haley Kvam in Chatfield offer a free orientation session on how to use the equipment. A free program is sent to new customers to help them get started.

If a customer wants further individual help they can sign up for coaching. The coaches help them pay attention to their form, motivate them, and set them up so they can continue on their own as well. The coaches structure a program specifically for the individual.

Cutting Edge is open 24/7. Members are given key fob access, but Burt can also buzz in members from his phone. He’s also considering adding code access in the future. New customers often come in with a friend or family member.

The gyms are equipped with TVs with cable, music and Wi-Fi. A security system monitors the gym. A vending machine with both “healthy” and “unhealthy” snacks is available for the members’ convenience. Cutting Edge also offers a variety of apparel that can be ordered on its website.

Operating the gyms is the perfect fit for Jarred. He is currently boxing and needs the hard training himself now. “The gym atmosphere makes me feel good,” Burt declared. He enjoys working with a lot of different people, modifying programs to suit their wants and abilities. Jarred noted that he needs to be intuitive to people and their needs.

Jarred likes working with high school athletes; he enjoys the connection to sports. As a former student athlete and coach himself, he knows what training did for him. “It’s fun to see kids learn and be excited! It helps them enjoy training and working out,” Jarred added.

Membership fees are drawn from an account on a monthly basis or members can pay ahead to receive a discounted rate. There are guest passes available for a day, week or month as well. Burt shared that guests will often come in over holidays or vacations.

Cutting Edge also offers discounts to first responders, military, students and health, school and city workers. It does health insurance reimbursements for many plans; check the website  www.cedgefitness.com/home/ for further information.

Membership has been steadily growing. January 2025 was the best month ever for Cutting Edge.

Both men and women use Cutting Edge and take advantage of Burt’s expertise. The same basic exercises are used, but Burt adds things that women typically enjoy more to their routines.

Burt encourages people to not be afraid to lift heavy, “You gotta really try to get huge muscles – don’t be afraid to lift and also get in your cardio! Exercising makes you feel better and helps with bone density and joints; strength training is important at any age. Find something you enjoy that you will stick with. Consistency is the biggest thing!”

In his free time, Jarred enjoys boxing, riding motorcycles, watching football, camping and hanging out with friends and family. He and his significant other Kaitlin Bain share a four-year-old son, Brantley.

Burt wanted people to know that Cutting Edge has been a team effort; he thanked family, friends, employees, coaches, members and teammates for their help. “I appreciate everything from them – this keeps me going!”

Here’s his advice for anyone starting a business, “If you really want it keep going! Don’t quit; keep grinding!”

When asked if there’s a fourth gym in his future, Burt said, “I do get the itch; I love doing that, but there’s nothing in stone.” He commented that he’d stick to small town locations and likes to support the other small town businesses.

When Jarred first opened his gym in St. Charles, he was asked what his five-year plan was. He had replied, “I have no idea! I just hope this place is still open!” Now 13 years later, Cutting Edge is open at three locations to serve its members!